Speaking in English, sorting in Chinese: interaction in L2 can reinforce existing categories in L1

Ellise Suffill, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom

Holly Branigan, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

Martin Pickering, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

Abstract

How does interaction affect categorization, and how might this
vary between native and non-native speakers? When people use shared labels to
categorize objects, they categorize more similarly to each other. We investigated
whether interaction leads non-native speakers to categorize in the same way as
native speakers. In six rounds, L1-English and L2-English/L1-Mandarin speakers
individually categorized dishware using labels (BOWL, PLATE), then discussed
their categories or an unrelated topic after each round. L2 speakers’
categories shifted following category-relevant interaction with L1 speakers, but
their categories did not become more L1-like. Unexpectedly, category-relevant
interaction reduced alignment within pairs and within language groups;
however, this effect was weaker in the L2 than L1 group. Hence, L2 speakers
showed a stronger tendency than L1 speakers to use categories that were similar
to other speakers from their language group. This suggests that interaction
in an L2 can reinforce L2 speakers' categories in their L1.